In case you are unclear as to exactly Mindfulness is, Professor Mark Williams, former Director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, says that “Mindfulness means knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment. Its is a therapeutic technique that can help you manage and prevent feelings of depression, stress, anxiety, or discontent. It enables anyone who practices it to live a more attentive, appreciative and vibrant life. An important part of mindfulness is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience. This means waking up to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the present moment.”

When the concept of Mindfulness was first introduced to me, I had a young baby. I still had to decide if I could steal time to brush my teeth or shower in the Mornings. Drinking cups of tea which were actually hot was a distant memory. Between the ridiculously broken night (being woken at least every 40 minutes was standard for months on end), and the endless feeding, there certainly didn’t seem like time to just ‘do nothing’. I could appreciate there was probably some merit in clearing my mind, and making time to Mediate. However, seeing as this didn’t come naturally to my runaway brain, and the fact that as a new Mum, my life felt fuller and more chaotic than every before-well it just wasn’t the quick fix I was after.

As time passed on, Mindfulness, Meditation and is efficacy kept finding it’s way into my path. With the slow realisation that life wasn’t going to ever “return to normal”, and that I needed to find peace and make time in this new role, I gave Mindfulness another shot.

I hear time and time again ” I don’t have time for that”, but I think one of the most powerful suggestions I have had, is to replace “I don’t have time” with “that’s not a priority for me, and see how that feels. I find it a really effective tool, as the results can be pretty confronting. ‘It is not a priority for me to find ten minutes a day improving my over all wellbeing”-it doesn’t sit well at all.

But where was this time going to magically manifest from? While my daughter sleeps somewhat better (that days of less than an hour at a time are thankfully in the past at least), life feels pretty full still. I am sure anyone reading this probably feels the same, be it work, Parenting, hobbies, commuting, housework. The answer? Incorporate it into every day, from Mindful Breastfeeding, to Mindful hair brushing.

Here is how you can find at least ten minutes to practice Mindfulness every single day

Brushing your teeth-the recommendation is two minutes twice a day, but even if you only spend half as long, you’re still 10% of the way there. Rather than trying to multitask and clean the sink simultaneously, instead visualise each tooth, appreciate the taste of the toothpaste and the sensation on your gums.

Walking down the stairs -concentrate on the action of each foot, the sound your steps make, move slowly. If you’re anything like me you are up and down the stairs countless times a day, but lets work with six trips which you stretch to twenty second-i’m sure we can all manage that!

Eating– of course we probably would all love to enjoy leisurely lunches spanning hours, where we can savour every flavour. Reality is wolfed down meals, on the move, and simultaneously fending off a small child from eating all your food! But dedicate one meal in the day to eating mindfully. Really chew the food, identify the flavours, look at what you are eating, smell it. It that seems to time consuming, bargain that the first five mouthfuls must be eaten mindfully, then build from there.

Making (& if you’re really lucky-drinking) a cup of tea– notice the cup, hold it in your hands, smell the tea bag, be conscious of the process, watch as the tea diffuses, and as the milk emulsifies. Savour each sip. If you are still at the reheating cold tea stage, you just need to work the same magic with the microwave.

Washing your hands– lets say four loo breaks a day, plus before preparing dinner at a very modest estimate? And if you are changing pooey nappies I imagine I can double this tally. Focus on the sound of the water, the sensation of the soap, really concentrate on the process of washing your hands. Not only will it claim a few minutes of calm, but it will improve hygiene-win win!

Ways to find ten Seconds of Mindfulness when life really does feel too full to take a breath

Getting into the car– if you don’t have Children then simply take the time from the from door to the car. If you are a Parent, from the moment you shut the door having buckled them into their seat, as you walk to the drivers side, date a deep breath in and then exhale, look at the sky for a moment, and then open the door.

Putting on your pajamas– sure getting ready in the morning may be a rush, with children hanging from every limb, but as you get ready to roll into bed, take a couple of seconds to be conscious of the feel of the clothes on your skin.

Download the Mindfulness Daily App– it can pop up with reminders throughout the day and guide you through, from as little as fifteen seconds of controlled breathing, to fifteen minute body scans.

My last challenge “living more with less”, saw me take on thirty days of buying nothing except the essentials (food, fuel, coffee etc). Rather than find it a struggle, it made a profound difference to my home and mindset. I also emptied my house of literally thousands of unwanted items. Twenty one pillow cases for goodness sake!! You can read more about the four weeks of my challenge here. One the challenge was over, I actually chose to continue with the stance on saying no to stuff. Besides a couple of Lush bath bombs, a couple of gifts for family Birthdays and some new shoes for my daughter, I really haven’t bought anything.

The What

For my next challenge, I have decided to take on the 333 project. The challenge is simply to minimise your wardrobe down to just 33 items and use them for 3 months. I first saw the idea of a capsule wardrobe over at ‘All that is She‘. Dominique seems to effortlessly stylish, and all her clothes just seem to work together. Then I discovered Courtney’s website ‘be more with less’ . She actually instigated the 333 challenge, which has now become a Global movement.

The Why

I haven’t exactly made this easy for myself, as during the three months of the challenge I will be spending time in four different Countries, crossing Hemispheres, and dealing with Spring, Summer, and Autumn and a thirty degree temperature variation!

Yet in a lot of ways the timing as perfect, as we have so much travel coming up this year, and having already downsized my wardrobe from what it was in my previous challenge, hopefully I have made the task a little easier! Another real motivator is, since having my Daughter I’ve struggled somewhat with how to dress in Mum uniform beyond breton and leggings. I’ve mentioned before here that some days I don’t want to wear the “Mama” shirt. Combined with the fact that I have limited time to select an outfit, with a fractious toddler grabbing at me. I spend far more time deciding what she will wear, and then throw on my own clothes in a panic. So I am hoping a side effect of this challenge will mean dressing in the Morning becomes simplified.

The How

The 33 items includes Footwear, Coats, Jewellery (except Wedding Ring). Underwear isn’t included, nor tights, or Pjs. Active wear is a bit of a funny one, the official ‘rules’ state it isn’t included, but only to be worn for exercising. I used to teach Clinical Pilates, so have quite a Wardrobe of lycra, Lululemon, and Lorna Jane are my my besties. And we all know Yoga pants are a girls best friend. I am going to compromise with dog walking clothes (Wellies, jacket etc) as not being included, plus my trainers for running and my running clothing.

I am going to a Wedding in May, I have borrowed my Sister’s dress, and will be wearing Sandals and jewelry, which are not in the 33. but I am making that an allowance.

I have filmed a little Vlog of the ‘chosen 33’, it’s pretty rough (done during Intrepid Bebe’s nap time and not edited). I am most apprehensive about combining different items, I don’t feel I have the most natural stylish eye when it comes to clothes to be honest, and have definitely lost my way a little since joining the Stay at home Mum Camp. Plus I haven’t really given myself any allowance of accessories…which I may well regret. But check back next week, and see how I am getting on! And if you’d like to join the challenge with my, please tag me, as I would love to share the experience.

I will also post a few #WIWT over on my instagram, and am currently putting together a Pinterest board to inspire my journey.

If you follow @intrepidbebe on Instagram you’ll have seen how much I enjoyed our recent Camping trip. Our little family (dogs and all) benefited so much from getting back to nature, and spending some quality time together. I won’t pretend I wasn’t apprehensive about Camping with a two year old, but she had the time of her life and was a star.

So I thought I would share with you the eight reasons I think all families can benefit from a few nights under canvas!

Under each reason I’ve shared an example from our trip (just in case you need any additional convincing).

1. You’ll come together as a Team

Camping promotes team work. From constructing the tent, to collecting fire wood, there’s roles for everyone. Children of all ages benefit from feeling valuable by contributing to a group. There’s a great sense of achievement when you’ve produced a meal as a unit, and even setting up camp becomes light work when you share the roles.

The look of pride on Intrepid Bebe’s face as she carried fire wood back to camp, and unrolled sleeping bags was priceless.

2. It’s Educational

Camping is a fantastic environment for learning. Once you start to take in your surrounding, inevitable questions arise- what that flower? Which bird makes that sound? How do fires work? Children thrive with the freedom and Independence camping offers them. And surely learning how to cook the perfect Marshmallow is a right of passage?

What’s that Mummy? What dat noise Daddy? The questions came in thick and fast, and I think she has easily added ten new words to her vocabulary this weekend.

3. Reset your Body clocks

Natural light and dark does wonders for your sleep cycles. Free of that iPad glow, your body will thank you for going back to nature and letting sunset dictate bedtime. You know those alarm clocks which gently get brighter- this is Mother Nature doing exactly that.

Intrepid Bebe is a notoriously terrible sleeper, but once it was really dark in the tent she very quickly went off to sleep. And we saw seven am which honestly never happens at home!

4. Camping is great Exercise

Forget a weekend in Soft Play (some would add ‘hell’) to ware them out. Setting up camp requires some muscle, and then there’s all the exploring to be done. And if you’re an avid subscriber to Slimming World, try a weekends Camping for a workout- plus there’s no 9pm chocolate run available.

From jumping in puddles (yes there was some rain- no camping trip would be complete without it surely?), to snapping logs for the fire, or walking through the woods, it’s a great way to get moving. And intrepid Bebe didn’t demand the IPad once, she was too busy exploring from dusk till dawn- maybe that explains the sleep?

5. Accessible to all

Camping is such an affordable option, pitches can be found for less than £20. And whilst you may think the kit is a big investment if you’ve never been before, I bet if you put a Facebook shoutout to borrow a tent you’ll have no problem. And stores such as Mountain warehouse offer sleeping bags for £15- or just take your duvet and blankets!

We already had a tent, and I was determined to keep the trip simple-I am not a fan of unpacking. We managed to put all our things into one large rucksack and then grabbed a frying pan and a couple of plastic plates- no flash equipment required!

6. Enjoy your own backyard

Camping makes you appreciate the beauty of your own home. I think it’s ingrained into this culture that ‘the grass is greener’ (I’ve written about being an ex-expat here). And a place in the sun and all the other holiday shows have a lot to answer for. There’s so much beauty in our own backyard. There is a campsite in every County in the Uk, and I’d speculate there’s one within an hour of most of us.

Our weekend was spent just 50 minutes from home but was truly stunning and a part of the world I was totally unfamiliar with. Yes I love International adventures, but more and more so I am appreciating being a ‘tourist at home’. Plus no long flight is always a bonus (especially when travelling with a sleep thief).

7. It is the ultimate slow living mini break

Camping is the ideal way to make your family SLOW DOWN. From hectic schedules taking kids from activity to activity, not to mention work and school. In this fast paced world, slow is not something most families would feel describes their lives. Camping gives you a chance to sit back, be present and enjoy your beautiful family. Without distractions, it’s far easier to be mindful and focus in on the bird song you might typical overlook.

Mindfulness is an ongoing battle for me, I really struggle to do one thing at a time, and be present. But camping gives me this space. And at one point I just sat back (in my hammock of course) watching my husband and daughter and felt so proud of the Family we have built.

8. It creates time

There’s no need for sightseeing or making plans around Kids Clubs or Cabaret Shows. Nor hectic schedules moving from place to place. There’s time and space to reconnect. Catch up, ask the questions, LISTEN to your kids. There’s no distractions, no household chores or DIY to do list.

Life had been feeling a bit hectic for us, since ummm, aprox the day before my Daughters birth?! Lately, with my Husband doing some long hours at work, and tag teaming Parenting. Not to mention a renovation project for a home, there’s always a lot to do list. We have a lot of travel coming up this month, and so easily could’ve decided Camping was just too much. But it was exactly the tonic we needed. 48 hours of family time left us feeling really refreshed and ready for our upcoming adventures.

I’ll let you in to a secret; I haven’t watched the News or read a Paper in as long as I can remember. I have already shared here, that we are nearly a year in to being a TV free household. You are possibly just about despairing of me- surely it’s only a matter of time before I pack up and move to a Yurt (alla Lula-if you don’t watch her youtube channel you should she is fab). So why the Media blackout? Do I not even care? Maybe I am sticking my head in the sand?

Do I NEED the News?

I heard a Lady speak publicly recently, about how she was criticised for the admission on her social media channel, that she didn’t watch the News. She had been labeled as ignorant, and it had been implied she was perhaps uncaring, or unintelligent. This criticism led her to religiously watching the News every night. But does watching the News mean you’re all of a sudden educated, empathic and going to save the World?

A Friend of mine frequently expresses exasperation and frustration at a Family member who doesn’t read the Newspapers, to her it is a truly terrible thing, and something to be ashamed of.

Another example is how I used to rant and rave at how frustrating I found parts of Australia for similar reasons. There could be a a major World event, and yet it would often barely make the News. National papers were very egocentric, rarely mentioning anything on the front page beyond their own shores, and local chat invariable revolved about local issues. I found it equally baffling and infuriating; when there were tragedies across the globe and no one seemed to know, nor care. And would often share this rant with other Brits I encountered over there; that people lived in a little bubble.

However, having moved back to the UK, the land of possibly even more offensive right wing Press, I have begun to change my tune. Perhaps if you live tens of thousands of miles from an event, worrying helplessly about it day and night, rather than addressing the issues in your home town, which you can more readily support-makes a lot more sense.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely applaud those people who give up their comfortable lives to cross the globe to support those in war torn regions. I regularly donate to Charities in places that I may well never go, and to people I will never meet. Please do not mistake my Media backlash as uncaring. I truly care, and I do not believe I am just sticking my head in the sand. But you are entitled to disagree.

Here are the nine reasons I chose to avoid Newspapers & TV News:

I recently quotes Mother Theresa in a post; when asked how to created more peace in the world, Mother Theresa replied; go home and love your Children. As the saying goes, charity begins at home. I think it is sometimes very easy to get caught up in issues far away and ignore those on our own Street. We absolutely have a global responsibility, it’s purely a twist of fate I was born in a wealth country into a home of security and someone else wasn’t. But that doesn’t take away from the powerful good we can do in our own Communities. Little acts of kindness in our own little Worlds can create big change.

I used to be very aware of ‘Current Events’, but is awareness worth anything if not accompanied by action? Are we instead guilty of ‘tragedy porn’? Slowing down to get a better look at the car crash on the other side of the Motorway. I used to argue; ‘we owe it to these people to be aware of whats happening to them’. But I would imagine in the vast number of cases, if we speak with the Mother in the War torn village, the starving Child, and let them know that there are lots of people across the world who know what’s happening, and think its very bad…but are not actually doing anything. Well, I am not sure how much reassurance that might offer.

Does the Media desensitise us to tragedy? Do we have such an influx of horror on a daily basis that human suffering doesn’t affect us in the way it may have in the past?

I think a lot of us have been brought up with the idea that the Media somehow know more that us, or speak with great authority. Sure they might have the audience, the podium, and circulation, so of course with that comes influence and power. But I think it was only truly for me once I got to an age where I knew people working in Media, that I realised they are just PEOPLE. And quite often people not necessarily the most Worldly. They have their own agenda (be that good or bag), and at time that agenda is to sell papers via a salacious headline, insight fear to promote a Political result, or just keep their job by producing whatever their Boss has requested). There is a huge difference between commentary and fact, yet I think the line gets blurred. I have touched on here, my views on ‘experts’ when it comes to babies, about the power of selecting your sources, and the same applies. Do not be fooled that the paper you read is a neutral unbiased source of fact.

Who choses whats News anyway? Even what the papers and TV shows opt to highlight massively controls what is in my consciousness. It’s incredible how frequently one act of ‘terror’ won’t be reported because of who the victims were or where in the World it occurred. Or when one of the Countries best sellers decides the leader of this Countries’ legs are more worth of coverage than what she’s discussing?

There are times when I feel particularly anxious, that I feel I need to shelter myself from the onslaught of doom. Some days, the horror in this world feels too much, so feeding that anxiety with stories which reenforce that fear is neither healthy nor productive. I feel that i am taking responsibility for my own wellbeing by option out of the circus.

I am not going to tell you that twitter and Facebook are far more trustworthy that the National news, they certainly have their fair share of ‘alternative facts’, but with information as readily available as it is today. i prefer to pick and choose my sources, and read direct accounts, over editorial commentary. Opting out of Mainstream Media does not mean I am sticking my head in the sand, nor leaving me uninformed. In fact I believe I am possibly more aware or certain situations because I have read from a broader and more balanced source of information..

There is so much good in this world, and yet invariable the mainstream media focus’ on the bad, the evil, the scary. I know the world sadly isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, but seeking out those stories of human kindness, those miraculous medical recoveries, those joyous moments, they are just as valid, even if they have not made the headlines.

It damages our Kids. There was lots of conjecture after the events of last weeks terror attacks (I wrote here about my feelings) about how much should or shouldn’t we be telling our children. And I feel that is the decision for each Family to reach themselves. But the newspapers flash scary headlines from the shelves right next to the Cbeebies mags, the news throws out statistics we might not be ready for our babies to hear. I know we cannot shelter them for ever, but I feel it ought to be our role to decide whats age appropriate and when and how we explain these big concepts.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, and how you manage your families intake of Mainstream Media, and how you feel it impacts your life.

There were a lot of posts on social media after the attack in Westminster, which said simply: we are not afraid. Terrorists aim is to insight fear, so this show of resistance is truly admirable to me. However, unfortunately I can not agree.

I am afraid.

I grew up not far from Central London, and loved visiting the City. By my early teens I could confidently navigate the Underground independently. It was my ambition to leave Suburbia and live in ‘proper London’. i did this in 2006 when I started University. It didn’t disappoint, I loved the atmosphere, the buzz, the architecture, the insiders knowledge. Public transport was a daily part of my life, and I even loved that. The throngs of people and no eye contact unspoken rules on the Tube all made me feel a proper Londoner.

It has now been over six years since I last lived in London, and I certainly didn’t live in the Australian equivalent. Our home was in a small, rural, Country town of around 20,000 people, several hours from a major City. Although the relative isolation frustrated me in many way, it also made me feel safe. I am pretty sure no terrorist would endure a V line Coach even if they did know where Moama was.

I am sure to some extend heightened awareness is a normal part of Motherhood. Your life is no longer just your own. I have become a little more risk averse, and my survival instincts feel pretty heightened. I have talked about this fear a little more here. But I also must be the first to admit that, since the birth of my Daughter, I have been far beyond the ‘typical range’ of anxious. On returning to the UK I have really battled with my own anxiety. Especially when it comes to anywhere I perceive as a potential terrorist target (which of course I know, sadly, could be anywhere). I can rationalise that it’s far more likely that we would have a car accident, or quite possibly be eaten by a shark (perhaps not in Surrey). But the fear has still been very real.

So if you are like me, and events like this do make you afraid, I want you to know it’s okay. Fear isn’t a comfortable emotion, but it is a valid one. Trying to suppress and ignore it often doesn’t work. You aren’t being weak by feeling afraid, and you aren’t letting terror win. Whilst getting straight back on the Tube Train is great, you aren’t letting terror win by deciding you feel more comfortable walking today

What you do with that fear is what matters. I believe fear and anger often sit side by side. It’s ‘fight or flight’. When we don’t take the flight option, sometimes our hormones surge and we got into battle. Fear can insight hatred, and that is what the terrorists want. Attacks often do exactly what they’re intended to do: they insight fear, they divide communities and they promote hate. So let’s not give them what they want. Let’s make the horrid events in London, and around the world insight love, unite communities & promote kindness. Take that fear and let it make you love harder.

So yes, I am afraid, but I will not let the fear make me look differently anyone I walk past in the Street. It will not make me stop chatting to the Lady because she is wearing a headscarf, nor move away from the Boy with a different accent. I will not stop smiling at the Man who walks out from his place of worship just up the road, or become suspicious of my neighbours. Nor will it make me teach my Daughter that race, religion or colour makes anyone any different from her. Because most people are good. And if the ‘terrorists’ make you stop believing that, and make us turn against one another, that’s when they win.